Strain gauges are used to detect or measure strain on an object. Typically, the electrical resistance of a conventional strain gauge varies in proportion to the compression and tension forces it is experiencing. The gauge factor of the strain gauge represents the sensitivity of the material to strain. In other words, the gauge factor indicates how much the resistance of the strain gauge changes with strain. The higher the gauge factor, the larger the change in resistance. Higher gauge factors allow a greater range of strain to be detected and measured.
In some situations, it is desirable for a strain gauge to be made of a transparent material. For example, transparent strain gauges may be used when the strain gauges are located in an area where the strain gauges can be detected visually by a user (e.g., though a display). However, some of the materials that can be used to form a transparent strain gauge create a transparent strain gauge that has an undesirably low gauge factor.